Wensleydale Railway has completed a detailed overhaul and refurbishment of three of its Mark 2 heritage carriages — just in time for its busy Christmas train services.
In a project lasting just over three months, a small team of paid staff and volunteers carried out extensive bodywork repairs, internal refurbishments and repainted the carriages — numbers 9417 (BSO), 5279 (TSO) and 5337 (TSO).
As part of the work, all the old seating was removed and replaced with upgraded memory foam seat bases, while worn springs were replaced. The seat frames were modified to remove arm rests, improving passenger access, before being repainted and fully reupholstered by Grinsty Rail Interiors of Nottingham.
Further upgrades included new LED lighting, new batteries, and inspection and replacement of buckeye couplings.
The refurbished carriages will now form part of the nine-carriage POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride, which returns to Wensleydale Railway for its sixth year this Christmas. The event, officially licensed and now the longest-running of its kind in Yorkshire, has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors since it began in 2019.
Matt Jervis, director at Wensleydale Railway PLC, said: “A small team of paid staff and volunteers have worked miracles. The results not only enhance our Polar Express experience but will benefit the railway all year round.
“To everyone who contributed, no matter how large or small, I offer my deepest thanks.”
Nick Keegan, marketing and fundraising manager, added: “This project, led by our engineering and operations manager Rob Cooper-Williamson, showcases the dedication of our volunteer workforce.
“Grinsty Rail Interiors did a fantastic job — the seats are incredibly comfortable and a vast improvement on the old ones.”
Built between 1964 and 1975, British Rail’s Mark 2 steel-bodied carriages typically seat 64 passengers and remain a classic example of mid-20th-century rail design.
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